“What exactly do you mean by that?”
As if reflecting the man’s foul mood, his low voice scraped across the floor.
He was a naturally taciturn man, but Pesha had never seen him look this angry before.
Because of that, Pesha discreetly watched his reaction.
The man had sharp eyes set beneath deeply sunken eye sockets, a high, prominent nose, and distinctly masculine features. Yet despite his smooth, sculpted appearance, his expression had twisted into something positively menacing.
Pesha had been absentmindedly admiring his face when she suddenly came to her senses.
‘No, wait. Why am I worried about what he thinks? Look at how much I’ve done for this territory!’
She clenched her fists tightly, gathering her courage.
Then she brought up the words she had wanted to say ever since the day they first married.
“I said we should finally get a divorce.”
She had made up her mind about the divorce a long time ago.
Ever since they got married.
No, even before they got married!
Although she had ended up marrying him against her will, almost as if she had been sold off, she thought their sham marriage had lasted long enough.
After all, there was no way this man intended to keep such a disgraceful marriage going for much longer either.
Ever since her marriage, Pesha had worked tirelessly to rebuild this territory, which had once had absolutely nothing.
There were several reasons for it, but first and foremost, it was because of the alimony she planned to demand when they divorced.
‘I’ll take the alimony and live a leisurely life all by myself.’
Even now, that plan has not changed.
Of course, they had never discussed it beforehand. However, even when the territory’s finances had been dire, the man standing before her had never been stingy with his spending. And there was no denying that her contribution had played a significant role in building up his current fortune, so she fully intended to make her demands with confidence.
‘But I never expected to run into trouble before I could even bring it up.’
Her husband, Owen, stared intently at Pesha’s resolute face before asking,
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked why you want a divorce.”
Pesha was a little taken aback.
‘Isn’t it obvious?’
Neither this man nor Pesha had entered this marriage of their own free will.
So, at this point, she thought it was only right for them to go their separate ways.
Pesha rolled her eyes from side to side before answering.
“You didn’t get married because you wanted to either, did you?”
“……”
“And……”
Was it really okay to say this? Pesha hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“And you have a w-woman.”
“……What?”
“I thought the longer I remained in your place, the harder it would be for the woman who is supposed to become your real wife. Isn’t that right?”
Owen’s face stiffened.
He looked frozen, as though he had never expected her to mention her.
‘Did I hit the mark?’
With a triumphant smile, Pesha began earnestly trying to persuade him.
“I’ll explain everything properly to His Majesty and my father. I’ll make sure you don’t suffer any consequences. I don’t even want that much alimony. Just a small portion of what we earned this time……”
Then, with a loud BANG, a noise came from Owen.
He had shoved the divorce papers Pesha had handed him into the trash can.
When Pesha stared at him with wide eyes, Owen spoke with his gaze dark and sunken.
“So you already knew. That makes this conversation easier.”
What? Oh, the woman?
At last, it seemed like they were getting somewhere, and Pesha’s expression brightened.
“I’ll make sure the new countess isn’t inconvenienced as much as possible! I’ll make a proper handover, so don’t worry.”
It was at that very moment that—
“Pesha Namoi.”
Pesha’s shoulders flinched when she heard him call her name.
And for good reason. It was the first time Owen had ever called her by her name like this.
It was also the first time he had addressed her by her husband’s surname rather than her maiden name.
The unfamiliar sound of her own name made Pesha blink in surprise, and Owen’s jet-black eyes flashed as he met her gaze.
He opened his firmly closed lips.
“You were the one I wanted from the very beginning.”
Pesha stared at him in confusion.
“Uh…… What?”
“I did all of this for the sole purpose of making you Pesha Namoi. And now you’re talking about divorce?”
A sardonic smile appeared at the corner of Owen’s lips.
“As if I’d ever let you divorce me.”
***
“Lord Namoi. I hear you resolved yet another dimensional rift in the east. I can never cease to be amazed by your bravery.”
The entire country was caught up in a festive atmosphere.
A hero had appeared, like a ray of light for an empire that had suffered through a long and grueling war.
Count Owen Namoi had driven back the army of the Clapton Kingdom, an old and persistent thorn in the empire’s side, almost as soon as he appeared on the scene.
He had also completely wiped out the foreign tribes that had scattered near the border and preyed upon small villages, as well as exterminating groups of monsters in the eastern region, which had been considered practically dead land after being devastated by monster invasions.
He was a symbol of the end of the war and the hope of the empire.
“To gain such a hero during my reign is an indescribable joy.”
The emperor sitting upon the throne praised Owen for his accomplishments and spared no words of commendation, yet contrary to his words, his voice was utterly devoid of emotion.
The man kneeling on one knee before the throne, still clad in his battle gear, was Owen Namoi. He gave a brief reply.
“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”
“There’s no need for such humility after accomplishing so much. The moment I heard news of your victory, I began considering what reward would be appropriate for you.”
“……”
“Then I remembered that despite being well past marriageable age, you are still unmarried.”
At the emperor’s words, the atmosphere in the hall where the party was being held began to stir violently.
At the same time, everyone’s gaze turned toward a woman who stood stiffly, practically frozen in place.
Regardless, the emperor continued speaking.
“Much of the reason you have yet to marry is my fault as well, since I have continuously assigned you difficult missions. So I discussed the matter with several of my trusted vassals.”
The moment word spread that Owen Namoi had reclaimed the eastern lands, a rumor had quietly spread throughout every level of high society.
It was a rumor filled with both mockery and pity: some noble young lady was going to become the wife of Owen Namoi, a man born to commoners.
“After hearing various opinions, I came to a decision……. Duke Rydell, step forward.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At the emperor’s summons, Duke Rydell stepped up beside him.
The emperor patted the duke’s shoulder as he spoke.
“Duke Rydell here has graciously agreed to offer me his daughter.”
At that moment, Pesha Rydell, the duke’s daughter, who had been forcibly dragged to the party by her father as though she were being led to a slaughterhouse, squeezed her eyes shut.
“Therefore, I hereby bestow upon you Duke Rydell’s daughter, Pesha Rydell, as your wife.”
The emperor’s declaration, which Pesha had desperately hoped would never come true, had become reality.
‘Absolutely not!’
Pesha, who had been standing among the crowd at the party, strode straight toward the emperor, bowed her head, and shouted.
“Your Majesty! Please, take back your words!”
It was an entirely unexpected turn of events.
The emperor’s eyes widened, while the nobles who had been quietly whispering began murmuring loudly.
“Pesha!”
The most shocked of them all was Pesha’s father, Duke Rydell.
He grabbed Pesha by the arm and scolded her.
“What are you doing?! How dare you refuse His Majesty’s command?”
To defy the emperor.
For her father, the head of the prestigious House Rydell and a loyal subject of the emperor, such a thing was simply unthinkable.
‘But you’re the loyal subject, Father. Not me.’
Pesha had one very important reason she could not back down.
“Your Majesty! I don’t want to marry Lord Namoi. I…… I will become a nun instead of getting married!”
Duke Rydell, furious beyond words, gripped Pesha’s shoulder so tightly that it hurt.
“How much longer do you intend to disgrace your father’s name?!”
He shouted as though he could not bear another moment of humiliation, then immediately turned to the emperor and apologized.
“Your Majesty, I have clearly failed in raising my daughter. I will discipline her properly before sending her to him, so please, do not withdraw your command.”
The emperor, who had seemed momentarily flustered by Pesha’s refusal, cleared his throat after receiving Duke Rydell’s apology.
“Ahem. Then, as we discussed beforehand, I shall assume that House Rydell has agreed to the arrangement.”
It was a unilateral decision that completely ignored Pesha’s pleas, despite her being the person directly involved.
She had resorted to the strongest measure she could think of to stop a marriage arranged against her will, yet it had all been for nothing.
Pesha desperately turned her gaze away, only to notice Owen Namoi, who was still kneeling on one knee with his head bowed.
Pesha’s shoulders flinched.
Come to think of it, that man had heard everything.
It must have been humiliating enough to be summoned to the party immediately after returning from the battlefield, still looking like a hunting dog with none of his formal attire on. And now she had rejected the marriage as well, so there was no way he could be in a good mood.
Yet despite the humiliating situation, he remained completely motionless, rooted to the spot.
His back looked almost pitiful.
But in truth, it was like a mouse worrying about the fate of a cat.
It couldn’t be helped.
‘Owen Namoi might kill me.’
And not just kill me.
He might do it horribly and mercilessly.
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